Client Testimonials

I am pleased to offer this letter of recommendation for Joe Wackerbauer from Okanagan Custom Homes.

I purchased a lake front lot in Summerland and researched a handful of builders before deciding to proceed with Joe in 2010. The main reason I chose Joe was the reviews he had from previous clients as well as one of the local building inspectors I contacted.

I live in the lower mainland so it was extremely important to me to find a builder that I could trust since most of my contact was over the phone.

Some key points:
* Specifications - everything was built to the specification that we discussed. This was important since I was not on site on a regular basis.
* Budget - Joe worked with me to keep the project on budget as design or specification changes came up. We ended up within 5% of the original construction budget.
* Quality of Work - I was happy with the quality of workmanship of all the trades.
* Communication - Joe never hesitated to contact me with any questions that came up during construction and he was always available when I called him for regular updates.

I would be happy to field any specific questions you may have about Okanagan Custom Homes and Joe Wackerbauer.

If I were to build another home in the area, I would not hesitate to work with Joe again.

Barry Spence Summerland, BC

It is my pleasure to recommend Okanagan Custom Homes and in particular Joe Wackerbauer as a general contractor. My husband and I have known Joe both personally and professionally for many years. We have always found him to be one of the most dependable people that we know - an important attribute for anyone in the building industry.

Joe first came to work for us 15 years ago on a rather large addition that we planned for our home. He completed that project on time and within our budget. Since that time, he has returned to work for us on many projects, both large and small and his craftsmanship has always exceeded our expectations.

Joe's work ethic, attitude and attention to detail have made him our favoured builder. In fact, he has become the only builder that we turn to for any project that we have in mind. I would recommend Joe Wackerbauer without reservation to anyone who is looking for a skilled and dependable worker.

Julie Sardinha Summerland, BC

Dear Joe,

We would like to take this opportunity to thank you once again for building our beautiful home. We also would like to provide this letter for your potential customers who would like to be assured of the quality of your work and service.

The construction of our home we recognize was complicated due to its unusual design, particularly the interior. We were most impressed and appreciated your ability to resolve design issues as they arose in a positive and professional fashion and without delay. Much of this credit is due to your exceptional knowledge of construction, cost controls and focus on quality results. The workmanship and attention to detail throughout our home is nothing less than outstanding. This speaks highly of you and all the trades involved – all had high standards and were a joy to work with.

We thank you again for making the construction of our home, which is generally accepted as a stressful experience, into an exciting and enjoyable endeavor. Most appreciated as well, were your excellent client communications skills and the honesty and integrity with which you conducted yourself and dealt with others throughout the project.

We will likely build again at some point and would not hesitate to have you build for us again.

Personal Regards,

Ed and Linda Thibault Summerland, BC

Dear Joe,
Jim and I would like to thank you for the role you and your crew have played in making our home a beautiful space for us to enjoy and share with friends.

The entire experience was excellent...from the initial planning, to the ongoing friendly and professional working relationships throughout the project, to the high quality workmanship, which is evident to all who see the changes in our home.

No one should be surprised when problems arise...they are an inevitable part of projects with scope. What makes the difference is how problems are approached. With patience, understanding and creativity, you worked with us to come up with solutions that were sometimes even better than the original vision.

Renovating is a big investment and involves a measure of trust. The results in our home show our trust was well placed. We would be pleased to recommend your work and talk personally with prospective clients.

Sherry and Jim

I have dealt with Joe and his past father over many years and on many diverse projects including additions to outbuildings on my hobby farm, and an addition/renovation to my 100 year old residence.

The latest project, which Joe directed, was the addition of two large en suite bedrooms to convert my home to a bed and breakfast. This reno/addition was unique in that it required the marriage of today's building code with the elements of a structure built in 1906. Joe's innovative ability made this project remarkably successful.

Joe approached this and our other projects with total professionalism. His insistence on precision and his no "Corner Cutting" attitude are tribute to his trade. This project was on budget with no time wasted.

Brian Adams Glenoka Bed and Breakfast

I am happy to recommend Joe Wackerbauer for his skills and his professional manner. He is an excellent team player and we have enjoyed having him work on our home.

Carolyn Cross West Vancouver

I have been more than pleased with Joe's work and find him to be polite, knowledgeable, competent and helpful with suggestions and ideas as a finishing carpenter

Diane McCausland Summerland, BC

This was the fifth house that my wife and I have built. I was the general contractor and Joe was the builder. Joe made this house the easiest to complete, with his knowledge and excellent communication skills, we were able to be on schedule without any delays. The quality of Joe's work is second to none, always doing it right the first time. His attention to detail, quality workmanship has made us proud of our home. If we ever build another house, Joe will be our builder.

Robyn and Gregg Wilson Summerland, BC

Our house was built in 1994 and even though we built it on a limited budget, it is extremely well built and finished on time.
We have entertained many friends and acquaintances over the many years and everyone marvels at the quality we received.
My wife and I would be very pleased to show our home to anyone who is considering Joe as the builder of a new home.

Bob and Diana Leitch Summerland, BC

We are writing this as a letter of recommendation for Joe Wackerbauer.

Joe was hired by us a general contractor to complete the building of our log house. He was very proficient in the framing, carpentry and finishing of the entire construction. He was professional and efficient in all phases of the construction. He was always prompt, on schedule and extremely courteous and sincere at all times. He was always there for us if and we had any questions.

We would highly recommend him to anyone looking for a professional job.

Gary and Wendy Mortimer Summerland, BC

I have had Joe Wackerbauer work for me over the last 7 years. In that time he has done major renovation to my home and several small repairs.

I have been more than pleased with his work and find him to be very polite, knowledgable, competent and helpful with suggestions and ideas as a finishing carpenter and carpenter.

I would not hesitate to recommend his services and expertise to anyone.

D Barkwill

My wife and I had the good fortune of having Joe Wackerbauer as the head carpenter during our recent house construction. Joe was a pleasure to deal with and we found it easy to communicate with him regarding our wishes.

More importantly, Joe's manual skills and depth of knowledge helped him to solve several problems that arose during the building phase. His finishing skills are equally as good as his framing and general construction skills.

We would highly recommend Joe's work.

Jack Ingram Summerland, BC

In my opinion Joe is a conscientious and competent contractor who has demonstrated his knowledge of the BC Building Code and willingness to work with municipal staff for the various residential and other projects that he has undertaken within the District of Summerland. He is always available to discuss code related issues with our building department in a professional manner and to my knowledge deals fairly with his associates and clients. In my experience, he stands behind his workmanship and always attempts to resolve his client's concerns.

Allan Mann, AScT, Chief Building Official District of Summerland

In 1988 we contracted the framing and finishing of our home to Wilf & Joe Wackerbauer, now conducting business under the trade name, Okanagan Custom Homes Ltd.

My wife and I were very happy with the workmanship and the manner in which the Wackerbauer's erected and finished our home. It was constructed on time, professionally and with attention to detail that made us feel extremely confident in the end product.

Should the need arise, my wife and I would be pleased to contract with Joe Wackerbauer for the construction of a new residence.

Ken Rae Summerland, BC

During our construction, several visitors, some being in the construction field, commented on the excellent workmanship that was going into our home. When the cabinet maker installed our cabinets, he commented that, "The installation was a pleasure because all of the walls were very true." The building inspector commented that, "If all homes were built this well, he would be out of work."
We found Joe very personable and easy to work with, even when we made changes to the original plans. Our home was completed on time and there were no deficiencies to be dealt with.

Lionel and Joan Coleman Summerland, BC

Joe was consistently cooperative, responsible, polite and highly dependable. He often made creative suggestions to resolve problems that we discussed during my site visits. Joe recorded on camera, many phases of the construction that I was not there to see. The photos have proved to be invaluable in many of my post-construction projects. When another carpenter was working on one of those projects, he commented that, "Joe is famous in the Okanagan Valley for his perfect right angles, so there is no problem in fitting in the new fixtures."